Sled.



Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

C. D. ORCUTT.

SLED.

APPLICATION FILED MAY zo, I9I5.

Fig .5.

' ATTEIRNEYE..

CQD. ORCUTT.

SLED.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. l9l5- Patented 11eb`.29,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D. c.

CHARLES D. ORCUTT, OF NORTH TONAWANDA,

SLED COMPANY, F NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK,

YORK.

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BUFFALO A CORPORATION 0F NEW sLEn.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented nel. 2a, raie.

Application led'May 20, 1915 Serial No. 29,332.

To all whom it may concern.'

I a citizen of the United States, residing at North Tonawanda, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sleds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates corporating simple and easily manipulated means for yieldingly holding the steering runners in their central position by means of a single spring. Y

The object ofthe invention is to provide a conveniently operated, simple and strong having` two -sets of runners or bobs in which the movable runners may be normally held in their straight-forward position by one spring and yet which may be manually turned against the tension of the spring to permit of steering; this object to be attained at comparatively low cost and with a minimum number of parts, requirving only thesimplest machine work, so

f larged scale,

'combined as to work smoothly and nonerratically after the continued abuse to which such toys are subjected.

Tn the accompanyingr drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved bobsled. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken along the middle of the same on line 2-2, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the sled demonstrating the steering method. Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary, vertical, transverse sections, on an entaken on lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, inFig. 3. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, horizontal section taken on line 6 6, Fig. 4, looking upwardly.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

1 represents the body of my improved bob-sled which may be of any suitable construction but preferably comprises a light arrangement of the type shown, which consists of three transverse cleats 2 to which are secured two longitudinal side slats 8, a longitudinal central slat 4 projecting beyond the forward ends of said side slats, and two longitudinal hand bars 5 secured to the outer ends of the cleats. This body may be supported in various ways by any number of bobs, one or more of which may be steerable depending on the weight to be sustained, but the usual construction consists .of .a fixed bob secured to the rear end to a bob-sled in- 'ing secured t0 the latter by means of the body and a forward bob capable of relatively horizontal turning movement. In the construction shown, each bob consists of two runners 9 arranged parallel to each other. From the rear part of each runner a knee projects upwardly which comprises two slanting uprights l0 provided at their upper ends with an inwardly projecting arm` 11. The arms of the rear bob are secured to the rear transverse cleat, while the forward ends of the runners of said rear bob are secured to the hand bars 5, thereby fixing the rear bob securely to the body.

Each of the forward runners is provided with guiding means on the upper portion of vits knee which guiding means comprise a horizontal guiding plate 14 secured to said knee arm. King bolts 15 pass through the outer parts of the guiding plate, knee arm and the adjacent end of the forward transverse cleat, as shown in Figs. l and 5, thereby pivoting each runner separately to the body above the rear part of the sliding face of the respective front runner. Each guiding plate is provided at its inner end with an arcuate slot 17 adapted to receive the guide screw 18 which is screwed into the lower side of the forward transverse cleat. Pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the forward ends of the front or steering runners is a transverse yoke 19.

My steering mechanism is adaptable to turnV a flexible steering bob which maybe variously mounted on the body and its organization is such that it avoids the excessive cocking and the consequent jamming of the forward runners, when the same are turned to guide the bob around a sharp curve or over rough ground, and also provides convenient and positive means for preventing the steering bob from twisting beyond the point where further turning will not increase the transverse turning movement tending to change the direction of travel.

A t the forward end of the sled and resting on the forward projecting end of the central longitudinal slat 4 is a transverse steering bar 20 to which is rigidly fastened a steering arm comprising upper and lower arm sections 21 and 22, engaging the respective upper and lower surfaces of the transverse yoke 19. These arm sections turn integrally with the steering bar, be-

of two rivets 23 and are provided at their forward ends with longitudinal slots 24 adapted to receive a pin 25 passing perpendicularly through the center of the vtransverse yoke,

so that when the steering bar is turned, the steering arm throws the transverse yoke to the right or to the left, causing the forwardv steering runners to turn pivotally on their respective king bolts. t

The steering bar is provided on its under.- side with a transverse strap comprising a fulcrum bar 26 which `is arranged under the central slat, and two brackets 27 projecting upwardly from opposite ends of the fulcrum bar and secured to the-under side of the steering bar by means of two rivets 8. Two fulcrum pins 28 which are arranged transversely in line and on opposite sides of the central Slat, pass vertically through the fulcrum bar and the steering bar, as shown in Fig. 4l.

A pivot plate 29 is arranged transversely on the forward, upper surface of the central slat, ,being securely fastened thereto by means of the vertical rivets 30. On theforwardY edge near the ends of this pivot plate are two fulcrum sockets or notches 31 which are arranged a distance apart equal to the center to center distance of the fulcrum pins 28. Each of the latter is adapted to engage one of the fulcrum sockets or recesses.

To the central portion of the steering bar is secured a hook 40 which receives the forward end of a longitudinal centering spring 32. This spring is secured at its 'rear end to the hook-shaped front end of a longitudinal thumb screw 33 which passes horizontally through the central portion of the forward cleat and Yis provided with a wing nut 34 engaging with the rear face of said forward cleat, thereby permitting the spring to exert rearward pressure on the central portion of the steering bar.

In the normal central position of the front runners, both fulcrum pins of the steering bar engage with both their companion fulcrum sockets, as shown by fulll lines in Figs. 3, 4f and 6, the lparts being yieldingly held in this position by the tension of the centering spring. Upon turning the steering bar horizontally in either direction, together with the front runners connected therewith, this bar swings about an aXis formed by one of the fulcrum pins turning inits respective socket while the other fulcrum pin moves forwardly out of its socket, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby further straining the spring and upon releasing the steering bar this spring automatically returns the same back to its normal central position. It is therefore apparent that in this organization of steering mechanism it is possible to retain the front runners yieldingly in their central position by the use of but one spring and stillv pivot each of the front runners individually immediately` above the rear part 'of its sliding surface, whereby the runners upon meeting with r'esistance are less liable to be deected and therefore renders steering of the sled easier verse Vyoke YpivotallyV connected with the front partsfrof said runners, a steering bar having two fulcrum pins and provided with a longitudinal arm which has a pin and kslot connection with the' yoke, and a pivoting plate or member secured to saidv body and adapted to be engaged at one part or another Y by said fulcrum pins.` v d 3. A sled comprising a body, steering runners movable horizontally thereon, a transverse yoke pivotally connected with the .front parts of said runners, a steering bar having two fulcrum pins and provided with a. longitudinal arm which has a pin and slot connection with the yoke, an elastic element attached to the central portion of said steering bar tending to move the same rearwardly. relatively to the body. 4:. A sled comprising abod-y, steering runners pivoted at their rear 'ends to said body, a transverse yoke lpivotally connecting the front ends `of said runners, a steering'yvbar provided withalcngitudinal arm which has a pin and slot connection with said transverse yoke, a fulcrum bar attached to said steering bar and provided Vwith afplurality to receive corresponding pins of the"fulcr-uml bar.

5. A sled comprising a body, steering runners pivoted at their rear ends to said body, a transverse yoke pivotally connecting the front ends of said runners, a steering bar provided with a longitudinal arm which has a pin and slot connection with said transverse yoke, a fulcrum bar attached to said steering bar and provided with a Vplurality of pins, a pivot plate having notches or recesses mating with corresponding pins of the fulcrum bar, and an elastic'element attachedto the central portion of said steering bar tending to move the same rearwardly.

6. A sled comprising a body, twosteering runners pivotally mounted for horizontal turning at their rear ends on said body, a yoke pivotally connected at its opposite ends with the 4front ends of said runners a steering bar arranged transversely above thel Wardly projecting arm Which is pivotally connected With the central part of said yoke, a fulcrum plate arranged transversely on the body and provdedat its opposite ends with forwardly-opening fulcrum sockets or notches, a fulcrum bar arranged transversely under the body and connected at its opposite ends With said steering bar, vertical Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the 'ulcrum pins engaging With said sockets or notches and each connected at its upper and lower ends with said steering bar and fulcrum bar, and a centering spring connected at its front end With the central part of said fulcrum bar and at its rear part With said body.

CHARLES D. ORCUTT.

Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

